Well-boring apparatus



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A WELL BORING APPARATUS.

N0. 391,501. Patented 0013.23, 1888.

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B. ANDREWS.

WELL BORING APPARATUS.

Patented Oct. 23, 1888., v

INVENTOR 4 WITNE sss: OM06, I

ATTORNEYS.

BENJAMIN ANDREWVS, OF NEWV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

WELL-BORING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,501, dated October 23, 1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN ANDREWs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vell-Boring Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in improved appara tus for boring Artesian wells in soft or alluvial soil.

The construction and operation of the improved apparatus are as hereinafter described, reference being had to accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my complete apparatus in position for beginning'practical operation. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the well-tube, water-conducting tube, and boring-head. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the well-tube and boring-head on a line at right angles to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a cross-section of the cutter'bar of the boring-head on line 00 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view of the lower end of the water-tube and a portion of the boring-head detached. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the boring-head inverted. Fig. 7 is a side view of one of the cutters of the boring-head detached and enlarged.

In Fig. l the letter A indicates a frame-work for supporting the well-boring apparatus proper. B is the well-tube or casing, O the water-conducting tube, and D the flexible hose, through which water is constantly supplied from a suitable source to the tube B while the boring is in progress. All these parts have been employed in an apparatus upon which mine is an improvement. The mode of operating such former apparatus is briefly stated,as follows: A notched or toothed sleeve or head is fixed on the lower end of the well-tube B. A flat and pointed steel drill is attached to the end of the smaller tube, 0, in such a manner that water can pass by it. Both tubes are caused to revolve slowly, and the water which flows unceasingly down the inner pipe comes to the surfacein the annular space between the tubes, carrying with it the earth loosened and dislodged by the borers.

1n the apparatus constructed as I propose the well-tube B is not rotated, but a borer or boring-head is applied to the lower end of such well'tube and adapted to rotate thereon. The inner or water-conducting tube has detachable connection with such boring-head, so that it may be utilized for rotating it. A cutter-bar forms part of the boringhead, and

serves as the connecting device between the water-tube and said head.

The details of construction and operationof the invention are as hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 6, the letter E indicates the rotating boring-head. In Figs. 2 and 3 a collar, 0, is shown fixed on the lower end of the welltube B. In practice I prefer to first connect them by a screw-joint, and then to upset the threads, as at d, by means of a suitable tool, so that said collar 0 will neither rotate nor become loose in use of the apparatus. A sleeve, 6, having an internal annular shoulder, is slipped down on tube B and extends down over the aforesaid collar 0. The borer proper, f, which is of annular form, Figs. 5 and 6, screws into this sleeve, and thus abuts the lower end of tube B and the lower side of collar 0, and forms practically a continuation or extension of the said tube internall y. It will be seen that this construction allows the boring-headE to revolve freely, yet prevents its accidental detachment.

For the purpose of holding the sleeve 6 fixed while the boring head proper, f, is being screwed into it, a pin is inserted temporarily through sleeve and tube, as shown in dotted lines, Figs. 2 and 3. Two or more pointed steel teeth or cutters, g, are screwed vertically into the ring or boringhead proper, f, as shown in Figs. 2 and. 6. At opposite points between these cutters g the head f is notched or slotted radially to receive a cutting-bar, h, which is secured by pins 2', inserted as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The lower or working side of this cutter-bar h is provided with two or more pointed teeth, 1 1, and also with a beveledged scraper or cutter, 2, whose vertical length is preferably somewhat less than the aforesaid teeth 1.

The lower end of the water-conducting tube 0 is detachably connected with the boring head E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3--that is to say, a sleeve, 70, Fig. 5, is screwed on the lower end of said tube 0 and provided with vertical IOC notches in its lower edge to receive the cutterbar h.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The parts are set in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, a two-armed lever, Z, being clamped on the tube G for use in rotating it, and a stay-bar, m, being clamped on one of the short pipes, which couples by means of the rotatable joint b the hose D to said tube for the purpose of preventing the hose from being twisted while the tube 0 is being rotated. The free end of the stay-bar m bears against a vertical bar, a, constituting part of frame A, and slides down in contact therewith, but still maintaining its horizontal position as the tube 0 sinks in the well-bore. The hose D runsover a pulley, a. The well-tube A is shown resting on the surface of the earth, and the water-tube G is connected with the boringhead E, as shown in Fig. 2. Two men at the lever Z and traveling around on the platform 0 are able to rotate the tube 0, and with it the boring-head E. The teeth g and. cutter proper, h, cut, loosen, and dislodge the soil, and the water flowing unintermittingly down the tube 0 carries such material up in the annular space between the tubes B C, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2. Should logs or soft rock be met with, the sharp teeth 9 and 1 and cutter 2 work through it without serious difficulty, and as the ends of the cutter'bar h project laterally slightly beyond the periphery of the boring-head E (see Fig. 6) the diameter of the bore made by the head E con siderably exceeds that of said tube. A bore is formed of sufficient capacity to allow the tube to descend without liability of sticking whatever be the material thus bored through. When the well has been bored to the desired depth, the water-tube O is withdrawn, and the tube B thereafter constitutes the permanent casing of the well. In order to provide an unobstructed passage for the water to enter this tube, I construct the cutter-bar h with a transverse notch, as shown at m, Fig. 3. which weakens it, so that it may be broken in two by any suitable means. The respective portions of the bar thus broken may then be forced downward and turned outward on the pivotpins *5, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 3. To permit the bar to assume this position it is obviously necessary to round the upper corners, as shown in the same, Fig. 3.

The parts of the boring-head proper, E, may be constructed of malleable cast-iron save the cutter and cutter-bar, which are made of steel. Instead of constructing this bar with the cutter or scraper 2, it may be provided with teeth throughout its length. In that case the teeth set in the ring f, may in some cases be dispensed with.

I wish it understood that, inasmuch as a rod might be employed as a substitute for the tube for rotating the boring-head, I do not propose to limit myself specifically to a tube for that purpose.

What I claim is-- 1. In a well-boring apparatus, the combination, with the non-rotating well'tube, of a boring-head which rotates on the lower end of the said well-tube and a tube working within the latter and detachably connected with the boring-head, so that it may be utilized for rotating the latter, substantially as described.

2. In a well-boring apparatus, the combination, with the non-rotating well-tube,of a boring-head adapted to rotate on the lower end thereof and having a transverse bar attached and a tube adapted to work within the welltube and having a socket in its lower end for the purpose of adapting it for detachable connection with said boring-head, substantially as specified.

3. In a well-boring apparatusfthe combination, with the annular boring-head proper, of a breakable transverse cutter-bar which is secured at its ends by pins upon which its respective broken portions may turn outward, as specified.

4. The improved well boring apparatus, consisting of a non-rotating well tube or casing, a borer applied to its lower end and adapted to rotate thereon, a rotating waterconducting tube, which is made of considerably less diameter than the said well-tube and having a detachable connection with the boring-head, and a water-hose which is coupled to the tube, substantially as shown and described.

BENJ. ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

AMos W; HART, P. B. TURPIN. 

